How I Have a Sustainable Period
I’ve talked about all things zero-waste period care a ton in the past. But what does my low-waste period routine look like personally? I’m happy to share today!
Pre-period
As my period gets closer, I often just switch to period underwear so as not to damage my regular underwear. This is a huge perk to period panties vs other means of period care, in my opinion! More on my favorite brands in a moment.
I’ll also ensure I know where my heating pad is. I got it secondhand, which is my preferred method of consuming tech since it can be harmful to create and dispose of. But, I also love this microwaveable heat pack I got from Cherapy, made from cherry pits!
My eco period care
Moving on to my actual period, it’s time to break out the rest of my period underwear. Here are just a few of my favorite brands:
Aisle
Period Company
Saalt
But…I’ve also started to become a fan of reusable period pads! Reusable pad brands I love are:
Gladrags
It honestly depends on my mood and schedule for which ones I reach for. I find period underwear to be the most comfortable for any activity. They stay in place and honestly don’t feel like I’m wearing anything special. Pads, though, do feel like you’re wearing a disposable pad. I don’t mind this, but sometimes they can shift and be uncomfortable, so I don’t love them for some activities. But, pads are much easier to change in public and often hold more, so I can go longer hours without changing. The full pros and cons of the two options can be found here.
Though there is one thing I almost always do every cycle: I often double up with organic yet disposable tampons on the heaviest day of my cycle when I’m out in public. I really don’t love menstrual cups and menstrual discs. I prefer organic and applicator-free tampons where necessary. They reduce a ton of waste still and help me get through my heaviest days while at work, at school, or in other situations where I simply cannot change my period underwear every 4 hours. If I have a heavy day at home, I’ll skip the tampons. But they make me feel safe from leaks on heavy days while out and about. For tampons, I usually reach for Dame.
The other great part about period underwear, since they are so comfy, I wear them at the end of my cycle, probably longer than necessary, in case there is any late leaking, and I won’t ruin my regular underwear! Though if I do stain my regular undies, I use Meliora’s stain stick to get stains out.
Washing and caring for my period items
Regardless of which reusable method I choose, I wash them all the same:
When it comes time to change, I immediately wash the used reusable pad or period underwear. I do so with a small amount of soap (mostly for smell control) and water. Yes, it seems like a lot of water will be used to wash these, but it takes even more water to grow cotton for the disposable options. I also find rubbing too hard with my thumbs to get the blood out can cause holes in the underwear, which we don’t want. So scrub them clean, but also be gentle.
I find that air drying them slightly helps with smell buildup. So, I hang them in the shower for the duration of the day, and when it’s time to shower, they get thrown in my laundry basket…yes, with my regular clothes!
When the basket is full, I do an entire load of laundry. Since I got most of the blood out already, I don’t worry about it with my clothes, and I’m trying to conserve water with the laundry! I just use my regular laundry detergent. Here are my eco recs!
When I move my other clothes to the dryer, my period underwear gets pulled out and hung dry. This is the best way to preserve them and keep them absorbent!
Then, they’re ready to reuse!
Annual deep clean
Not gonna lie, sometimes a pair or two of period underwear can get some smell buildup on them. That’s why I do an annual deep clean to strip them. I hope to get out any hidden blood that may have been missed by the regular washing cycle to remove smells and keep them cleaner longer. This deep clean is simple:
Fill your bathtub with HOT water
Add about 4 tbsp laundry detergent (I prefer Meliora), 4 tbsp bleach or bleach alternative (I like Meliora’s oxygen bleach), and 4 tbsp of washing soda. I’ve also used Borax in the past.
Give it a good mix and add your period underwear and reusable pads to the bath. Top off with more hot water as needed
Let this sit for several hours
Wring out without being too harsh
Give them a wash in the laundry machine
Air dry
Truly, this works every time. I’ve had some pairs that I thought needed to be landfilled, but after a quick laundry stripping, the smell came out! Here’s the video tutorial.
Other items that help me out
To be honest, my favorite period swap isn’t a period swap at all…it’s a bidet! It helps me feel so much cleaner throughout my cycle without having to hop in the shower many times a day (don’t worry, I still bathe regularly lol). My favorite bidet is from Whisper, but Tushy is another excellent option. This also greatly cuts down how much I have to wipe during my period to cut down on toilet paper usage. Yes, even if you use eco toilet paper, it’s still a great idea to conserve resources. If anything, do it for your wallet!
Speaking of eco TP, that’s precisely what I use! I’ve tried tons of brands over the years, but honestly, I keep going back to Who Gives a Crap and Reel!
I think that about covers it! Let me know your questions about having a sustainable period down below, and be sure to check out my full eco period playlist on YouTube for more brand reviews and general tips.
What does your eco-friendly period routine look like?
As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)
Emma
